Wellington artworks added to register of 20th Century Public Art

John Daly-Peoples

Thirty-one Wellington artworks have recently been added to a national register of 20th Century Public Art which at present has more than 500 listed artworks.

Finding, researching, documenting, promoting, and where possible saving, Aotearoa New Zealand’s 20th Century public art is the mission of Public Art Heritage Aotearoa New Zealand (PAHANZ).

To this end the Wellington City Council supported PAHANZ in researching and listing a further 31 artworks from throughout Wellington City.

These works have now been added to the Trust’s website https://PublicArt.nz, an online register of artworks made, and installed in public space in New Zealand between 1900-1999.

Alongside the artworks, the website also provides biographies of artists, art collectives, and organisations associated with these works. With the Council’s support, 17 new artist biographies and associated organisations/people pages have been added.

Sue Elliott, co-director of PAHANZ said “many 20th Century public artworks have been destroyed, covered over, or simply lost. Others remain undocumented and at risk due to a lack of public knowledge of their significance and value. Our website is New Zealand’s first national register of these cultural treasures; launched with 380 works in mid-2023 and now grown to well over 500 works.

“Thanks to funding from Wellington City Council’s Public Art Panel, we have researched a further 31 works for uploading. These works were prioritised to reflect works that were at risk; those that were likely to gain category 1 or 2 significance from our independent assessment panel; and those that increased the diversity of artists already represented on the database,” she said.

The database can be searched by a number of factors including: the artwork, the artist, its location, date or medium.

The works that have just been uploaded include 24 works that are still publicly accessible, three works that are now in storage, and four destroyed/decommissioned works.

The 31 Wellington works include works by public art heroes such as: Jim Allen; Doreen Blumhardt; Roy Cowan; Robyn Kahukiwa; Para Matchitt; Beverley Shore-Bennett; Michael Smithers; Toi Te Rito Maihi and many others. They can be found dotted about the city in: The CBD; Botanic Gardens; Te Ngākau Civic Square; Karori; Mt Victoria; Miramar; Thorndon and Newtown.

Co-director, Bronwyn Holloway-Smith said: “The uploading of these works in Wellington is particularly timely with the revitalisation of Te Ngākau Civic Square and soon to be re-opened Te Whare Wakarauika Wellington Town Hall, both of which are important sites of public art. Simultaneously, we’ve also submitted applications for Heritage New Zealand classifications for both the City-to-Sea Bridge and Harbour Plaza, and the Michael Fowler Centre with the important works contained within this building.

“By documenting, promoting, and seeking protections for Aotearoa New Zealand’s 20th Century public art we’re highlighting the value of these creative contributions to public space, and raising awareness about the stories they embody to ensure this important aspect of our culture is accessible to future generations of Kiwis.”

With over 500 works now listed on the register, PAHANZ still has much to do, with a further 1067 works to be researched that include accessible works alongside those that have been lost/hidden/destroyed, or whose current status is not confirmed. These include a further 89 works in the Wellington region that are awaiting auditing and listing.